Three Teenagers Arrested After Public Help Police Officer Following Pursuit Near Swindon

Three teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking after members of the public helped a police officer detain suspects following a pursuit south of Swindon.

A police officer was on patrol in the Chiseldon area at around 7.30pm last night (12/03/19) when he was overtaken on The Ridgeway by a 4×4 vehicle travelling at speed and without a front number plate.

He attempted to pull the car over, but the vehicle sped up and a pursuit was authorised, with the vehicle turning left at the end of The Ridgeway and travelling through Liddington at speed.

At this point the car was speeding at 90mph in a 30mph zone and carrying out dangerous overtaking manoeuvres, narrowly avoiding a head-on collision with oncoming traffic.

The 4×4, a blue Mitsubishi Shogun, then entered the A419 roundabout at speeds estimated between 60 and 70mph, before the driver lost control and collided with a van.

The vehicle rolled and landed upside down and five people were seen to get out of the car and try to run off from the scene.

The officer, assisted by members of the public, managed to detain three of the suspects, but two fled and are currently outstanding.

Two 17-year-old boys and one 16-year-old boy, all from Swindon, have been arrested on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking.

They were first taken to Great Western Hospital for medical treatment and are now in custody at Gablecross Police Station.

Enquiries are currently ongoing to establish the owner of the car and where it may have been stolen from.

Speaking afterwards, the officer said: “I have been a police officer for 12 years I have been involved in lots of pursuits.

“The incident tonight whilst short was the most dangerous driving I have seen in years.

“I cannot fathom how there was not a crash as we passed though Liddington. The result of such a crash with the heavy 4×4 going head on at 90mph to another vehicle would have surely been fatal.”

PC Gerald Clifton, from Tri-Force Roads Policing, said: “I would like to thank the public-spirited passers-by who stopped to assist this police officer, who was on his own trying to deal with a potentially volatile situation and apprehend five suspects.

“Their help meant he was able to make three arrests

“Our enquiries are obviously now continuing and we are trying to locate the other two suspects.

“We would urge anyone who was in the area at the time, particularly anyone who may have dash cam footage of the 4×4 before it crashed, the collision itself, or the two suspects fleeing the scene, to contact police immediately.”